Numerical Verification/Validation of the Theory of Coupled Reactors for Deuterium Critical Assembly, using MCNP5 and Serpent Codes

Abstract

The theory of multipoint coupled reactors developed by multi-group transport is verified by using the probabilistic transport code MCNP5 and the continuous-energy Monte Carlo reactor physics burnup calculation Serpent code. The verification was performed by calculating the multiplication factors (or criticality factors) and coupling coefficients for a two-region test reactor known as the Deuterium Critical Assembly, DCA. The multiplication factors keff calculated numerically and independently from simulations of DCA by MCNP5 and Serpent codes are compared with the multiplication factors keff calculated based on the coupled reactor theory. As a result, an excellent agreement between multiplication factors keff calculated by Serpent code, and that by MCNP5 and coupled reactor theory, has been obtained for multipoint coupled reactor calculations confirming the validity of Serpent for such application.